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When we tell someone what another person said, but doesn't use the person's actual words

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¿Alguna vez has escrito algo que has parafraseado o no mencionas de forma exacta? Si es así, probablemente has utilizado el estilo indirecto, también conocido como reported speech en inglés.

El estilo indirecto o reported speech es la forma en la que puedes contar, explicar, escribir o decir algo con tus propias palabras, cambiando el tiempo verbal al pasado.

Se diferencia del discurso directo de esta forma, ya que el discurso directo implica que digas o escribas todo textual y exacto a como sucedió.

Reglas para utilizar el reported speech

Para usarlo, tienes que tener en consideración algunas reglas sencillas.

Regla N°1: Debes aprender que, en el reported speech, los tiempos verbales cambian.

Es decir, en el direct speech o en el estilo directo, todas las expresiones de tiempos verbales están en presente. Pero cuando utilices el estilo indirecto o reported speech este verbo cambia a pasado. Sin embargo, hay dos excepciones que verás más adelante.

Estilo directo o Direct Speech Estilo indirecto o Reported Speech

Pasado Perfecto Simple
Este tiempo verbal se mantiene igual para el direct o reported speech.
Ejemplo: " I'd been to my home before the college" she said.
She said that she'd been in her home before the college.

Pasado Perfecto Continuo
Exactamente lo mismo, el tiempo verbal se mantiene igual para el direct o reported speech.
Ejemplo: He said " I'd been working here for years before quit".
He said that he'd been working here for years before quit.

Si te has dado cuenta, en ocasiones se coloca primero that previo al reported speech para establecer que lo mencionado es una afirmación o negación. Si tomas un curso de inglés online, es probable que entres en profundidad en este tipo de detalles lingüísticos.

Regla N°2: Los tiempos verbales de los verbos modales, también conocidos como modal verbs en inglés, también cambian.

Como hemos mencionado arriba, los tiempos verbales cambian una vez que se pasa del estilo directo al indirecto, y los modal verbs tampoco escapan de esto, excepto would, could, should, might y ought to.

Veamos cómo se aplica esta regla para los verbos modales:

Verbos modales
Estilo directo o Direct Speech Verbos modales
Estilo indirecto o Reported Speech

Regla N°3: Los adverbios de tiempo también cambian.

Las frases adverbiales de tiempo también sufren cambios. Suelen cambiar cuando hablamos en estilo indirecto, normalmente del presente al pasado.

Adverbios de tiempo
Estilo directo o Direct Speech Adverbios de tiempo
Estilo indirecto o Reported Speech

Today / Tonight

That day / That night

This day / week / month / year

That day / week / month / year

Next day / week / month / year

The following day / week / month / year

Yesterday

The previous day / The day before

Last week / month / year

The previous week / month / year or the previous week / month/year

Esas son las reglas que debes tener presente a la hora de cambiar tu estilo directo a uno indirecto. Estos cambios los hacemos diariamente en el español, y el secreto en inglés es la práctica. A continuación puedes encontrar una imagen resumen con todo lo que hemos explicado sobre el Reported Speech:

Ejercicio para poner en práctica el reported speech

A continuación, un ejercicio de reported speech. Supón que estás escuchando el diálogo entre dos personas, en un estilo directo:

Ahora, si quieres transmitir a otra persona lo que ellos hablaron usando un estilo indirecto o indirect speech, sería de la siguiente forma:

1. Carolina: Hey Felipe! What are you doing? I haven't seen you since the last week.

2. Felipe: Oh, hey Carolina! Sorry, I've just come back from the hospital

3. Carolina: Are you ok? What happen to you?

4. Felipe: Well, it seems that I catch a hard flu. But don't worry, I'm fine now.

5. Carolina: I am glad to hear that.

Artículo relacionado: Guía de verbos irregulares en inglés (infografía)

1. Carolina asked Felipe what he is doing. And she said she had not seen him since the last week.

2. Felipe explained that he had just come from the hospital.

3. Carolina wondered if he is ok. And asked him what happen.

4. Felipe told her that he catches a hard flu, but he added that he is fine now.

5. Carolina said him that she is glad to hear that.

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Reported speech: Qué es y cómo utilizarlo | English Live Blog

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¿Alguna vez has escrito algo que has parafraseado o no mencionas de forma exacta? Si es así, probablemente has utilizado el estilo indirecto, también conocido como reported speech en inglés. El estilo indirecto o reported speech es la forma en la que puedes contar, explicar, escribir o decir algo con tus propias palabras, cambiando el tiempo verbal al pasado.

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We use reported speech when we want to tell someone what someone said. We usually use a reporting verb (e.g. say, tell, ask, etc.) and then change the tense of what was actually said in direct speech.
So, direct speech is what someone actually says? Like 'I want to know about reported speech'?

Yes, and you report it with a reporting verb.
He said he wanted to know about reported speech.
I said, I want and you changed it to he wanted.

Exactly. Verbs in the present simple change to the past simple; the present continuous changes to the past continuous; the present perfect changes to the past perfect; can changes to could; will changes to would; etc.
She said she was having the interview at four o'clock.
(Direct speech: 'I'm having the interview at four o'clock.')
They said they'd phone later and let me know.
(Direct speech: 'We'll phone later and let you know.')
OK, in that last example, you changed you to me too.

Yes, apart from changing the tense of the verb, you also have to think about changing other things, like pronouns and adverbs of time and place.
'We went yesterday.' > She said they had been the day before.
'I'll come tomorrow.' >He said he'd come the next day.
I see, but what if you're reporting something on the same day, like 'We went yesterday'?

Well, then you would leave the time reference as 'yesterday'. You have to use your common sense. For example, if someone is saying something which is true now or always, you wouldn't change the tense.
'Dogs can't eat chocolate.' > She said that dogs can't eat chocolate.
'My hair grows really slowly.' >He told me that his hair grows really slowly.
What about reporting questions?

We often use ask + if/whether, then change the tenses as with statements. In reported questions we don't use question forms after the reporting verb.
'Do you have any experience working with people?'
They asked if I had any experience working with people.
'What acting have you done?'
They asked me what acting I had done.
Is there anything else I need to know about reported speech?

One thing that sometimes causes problems is imperative sentences.

You mean like 'Sit down, please' or 'Don't go!'?

Exactly. Sentences that start with a verb in direct speech need a to + infinitive in reported speech.
She told him to be good. (Direct speech: 'Be good!')
He told them not to forget. (Direct speech: 'Please don't forget.')
OK. Can I also say 'He asked me to sit down'?

Yes. You could say 'He told me to ...' or 'He asked me to ...' depending on how it was said.

OK, I see. Are there any more reporting verbs?

Yes, there are lots of other reporting verbs like promise, remind, warn, advise, recommend, encourage which you can choose, depending on the situation. But say, tell and ask are the most common.

Great. I understand! My teacher said reported speech was difficult.

And I told you not to worry!

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Daisy has just had an interview for a summer job.

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Reported speech or indirect speech is the form of speech used to convey what was said by someone at some point of time. This article will help you with all that you need to know about reported speech, its meaning, definition, how and when to use them along with examples. Furthermore, try out the practice questions given to check how far you have understood the topic.

Table of Contents

What Is Reported Speech?

Reported speech is the form in which one can convey a message said by oneself or someone else, mostly in the past. It can also be said to be the third person view of what someone has said. In this form of speech, you need not use quotation marks as you are not quoting the exact words spoken by the speaker, but just conveying the message.

Now, take a look at the following dictionary definitions for a clearer idea of what it is.

Definition of Reported Speech

Reported speech, according to the Oxford Learner's Dictionary, is defined as "a report of what somebody has said that does not use their exact words." The Collins Dictionary defines reported speech as "speech which tells you what someone said, but does not use the person's actual words." According to the Cambridge Dictionary, reported speech is defined as "the act of reporting something that was said, but not using exactly the same words." The Macmillan Dictionary defines reported speech as "the words that you use to report what someone else has said."

Rules to be Followed When Using Reported Speech

Reported speech is a little different from direct speech. As it has been discussed already, reported speech is used to tell what someone said and does not use the exact words of the speaker. Take a look at the following rules so that you can make use of reported speech effectively.

The first thing you have to keep in mind is that you need not use any quotation marks as you are not using the exact words of the speaker.

You can use the following formula to construct a sentence in the reported speech.

Subject said that (report whatever the speaker said)

You can use verbs like said, asked, requested, ordered, complained, exclaimed, screamed, told, etc. If you are just reporting a declarative sentence, you can use verbs like told, said, etc. followed by 'that' and end the sentence with a full stop. When you are reporting interrogative sentences, you can use the verbs - enquired, inquired, asked, etc. and remove the question mark. In case you are reporting imperative sentences, you can use verbs like requested, commanded, pleaded, ordered, etc. If you are reporting exclamatory sentences, you can use the verb exclaimed and remove the exclamation mark. Remember that the structure of the sentences also changes accordingly.

Furthermore, keep in mind that the sentence structure, tense, pronouns, modal verbs, some specific adverbs of place and adverbs of time change when a sentence is transformed into indirect/reported speech.

Transforming Direct Speech into Reported Speech

As discussed earlier, when transforming a sentence from direct speech into reported speech, you will have to change the pronouns, tense and adverbs of time and place used by the speaker. Let us look at the following tables to see how they work.

Table 1 - Change of Pronouns

Table 2 - Change of Adverbs of Place and Adverbs of Time

Table 3 - Change of Tense

Table 4 - Change of Modal Verbs

Tips to Practise Reported Speech

Here are some tips you can follow to become a pro in using reported speech.

Select a play, a drama or a short story with dialogues and try transforming the sentences in direct speech into reported speech.

Write about an incident or speak about a day in your life using reported speech.

Develop a story by following prompts or on your own using reported speech.

Examples of Reported Speech

Given below are a few examples to show you how reported speech can be written. Check them out.

Santana said that she would be auditioning for the lead role in Funny Girl.

Blaine requested us to help him with the algebraic equations.

Karishma asked me if I knew where her car keys were.

The judges announced that the Warblers were the winners of the annual acapella competition.

Binsha assured that she would reach Bangalore by 8 p.m.

Kumar said that he had gone to the doctor the previous day.

Lakshmi asked Teena if she would accompany her to the railway station.

Jibin told me that he would help me out after lunch.

The police ordered everyone to leave from the bus stop immediately.

Rahul said that he was drawing a caricature.

Check Your Understanding of Reported Speech

Transform the following sentences into reported speech by making the necessary changes.

1. Rachel said, "I have an interview tomorrow."

2. Mahesh said, "What is he doing?"

3. Sherly said, "My daughter is playing the lead role in the skit."

4. Dinesh said, "It is a wonderful movie!"

5. Suresh said, "My son is getting married next month."

6. Preetha said, "Can you please help me with the invitations?"

7. Anna said, "I look forward to meeting you."

8. The teacher said, "Make sure you complete the homework before tomorrow."

9. Sylvester said, "I am not going to cry anymore."

10. Jade said, "My sister is moving to Los Angeles."

Now, find out if you have answered all of them correctly.

1. Rachel said that she had an interview the next day.

2. Mahesh asked what he was doing.

3. Sherly said that her daughter was playing the lead role in the skit.

4. Dinesh exclaimed that it was a wonderful movie.

5. Suresh said that his son was getting married the following month.

6. Preetha asked if I could help her with the invitations.

7. Anna said that she looked forward to meeting me.

8. The teacher told us to make sure we completed the homework before the next day.

9. Sylvester said that he was not going to cry anymore.

10. Jade said that his sister was moving to Los Angeles.

Frequently Asked Questions on Reported Speech in English

What is reported speech?

Reported speech is the form in which one can convey a message said by oneself or someone else, mostly in the past. It can also be said to be the third person view of what someone has said. In this form of speech, you need not use quotation marks as you are not quoting the exact words spoken by the speaker, but just conveying the message.

What is the definition of reported speech?

Reported speech, according to the Oxford Learner's Dictionary, is defined as "a report of what somebody has said that does not use their exact words." The Collins Dictionary defines reported speech as "speech which tells you what someone said, but does not use the person's actual words." According to the Cambridge Dictionary, reported speech is defined as "the act of reporting something that was said, but not using exactly the same words." The Macmillan Dictionary defines reported speech as "the words that you use to report what someone else has said."

What is the formula of reported speech?

You can use the following formula to construct a sentence in the reported speech.
Subject said that (report whatever the speaker said)

Give some examples of reported speech.

Given below are a few examples to show you how reported speech can be written.

Santana said that she would be auditioning for the lead role in Funny Girl.

Blaine requested us to help him with the algebraic equations.

Karishma asked me if I knew where her car keys were.

The police ordered everyone to leave from the bus stop immediately.

Lakshmi asked Teena if she would accompany her to the railway station.

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Reported Speech - Definition, Rules and Usage with Examples

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Reported Speech: In this article, you will be introduced to reported speech, its meaning and definition, how and when to use it. You can also check out the examples given for a much better understanding of reported speech.

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Exercise

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Look at these examples to see how we can tell someone what another person said.

direct speech: 'I love the Toy Story films,' she said.
indirect speech: She said she loved the Toy Story films.

direct speech:'I worked as a waiter before becoming a chef,' he said.
indirect speech: He said he'd worked as a waiter before becoming a chef.

direct speech:'I'll phone you tomorrow,' he said.
indirect speech: He said he'd phone me the next day.

Try this exercise to test your grammar.

Read the explanation to learn more.

Grammar explanation

Reported speech is when we tell someone what another person said. To do this, we can use direct speech or indirect speech.

direct speech: 'I work in a bank,' said Daniel.
indirect speech:Daniel said that he worked in a bank.

In indirect speech, we often use a tense which is 'further back' in the past (e.g. worked) than the tense originally used (e.g. work). This is called 'backshift'. We also may need to change other words that were used, for example pronouns.

Present simple, present continuous and present perfect

When we backshift, present simple changes to past simple, present continuous changes to past continuous and present perfect changes to past perfect.

'I travel a lot in my job.'
Jamila said that she travelled a lot in her job.
'The baby's sleeping!'
He told me the baby was sleeping.
'I've hurt my leg.'
She said she'd hurt her leg.

Past simple and past continuous

When we backshift, past simple usually changes to past perfect simple, and past continuous usually changes to past perfect continuous.

'We lived in China for five years.'
She told me they'd lived in China for five years.
'It was raining all day.'
He told me it had been raining all day.

Past perfect

The past perfect doesn't change.

'I'd tried everything without success, but this new medicine is great.'
He said he'd tried everything without success, but the new medicine was great.

No backshift

If what the speaker has said is still true or relevant, it's not always necessary to change the tense. This might happen when the speaker has used a present tense.

'I go to the gym next to your house.'
Jenny told me that she goes to the gym next to my house. I'm thinking about going with her.
'I'm working in Italy for the next six months.'
He told me he's working in Italy for the next six months. Maybe I should visit him!
'I've broken my arm!'
She said she's broken her arm, so she won't be at work this week.

Pronouns, demonstratives and adverbs of time and place

Pronouns also usually change in indirect speech.

'I enjoy working in my garden,' said Bob.
Bob said that he enjoyed working in his garden.
'We played tennis for our school,' said Alina.
Alina told me they'd played tennis for their school.

However, if you are the person or one of the people who spoke, then the pronouns don't change.

'I'm working on my thesis,' I said.
I told her that I was working on my thesis.
'We want our jobs back!' we said.
We said that we wanted our jobs back.

We also change demonstratives and adverbs of time and place if they are no longer accurate.

'This is my house.'

He said this was his house. [You are currently in front of the house.]

He said that was his house. [You are not currently in front of the house.]

'We like it here.'

She told me they like it here. [You are currently in the place they like.]

She told me they like it there. [You are not in the place they like.]

'I'm planning to do it today.'

She told me she's planning to do it today. [It is currently still the same day.]

She told me she was planning to do it that day. [It is not the same day any more.]

In the same way, these changes to those, now changes to then, yesterday changes to the day before, tomorrow changes to the next/following day and ago changes to before.

Do this exercise to test your grammar again.

Language level

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Do you know how to report what somebody else said? Test what you know with interactive exercises and read the explanation to help you.